200 miles off the coast of Africa, on the island of Madagascar, exists some of the world’s last genetically pure cocoa. Chocolate made from this heirloom cocoa is so flavorful; it’s like discovering chocolate for the very first time.

We were Peace Corps volunteers in Madagascar. We fell in love with the people and the country and wanted to do more. So we started making chocolate there. Even though 70% of the world’s cocoa comes from Africa, no one had ever really done this before.

We were convinced that making finished products in Africa was the key to real change. Our experience making chocolate there confirmed it. So we started making vanilla, too. And the next chapter began.